Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Ethylbenzene

Lacey Water Department

Ethylbenzene, a component of petroleum, is a volatile cancer-causing chemical primarily used for production of plastics and rubber. Ethylbenzene is also released from gasoline fuel emissions. Read More.

In animal studies, exposure to ethylbenzene causes tumors. Ethylbenzene can also damage lungs, liver, kidneys and the nervous system. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies ethylbenzene as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.”

 

17

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

0

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2018ND10ND
2019ND20ND
2020N/A00N/A
2021ND50ND
2022ND80ND
2023ND10ND

ppb = parts per billion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EWG Health Guideline: 300 ppb

The EWG Health Guideline of 300 ppb for ethylbenzene was defined by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment as a public health goal, the level of a drinking water contaminant that does not pose a significant health risk. This health guideline protects against harm to internal organs.

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL): 700 ppb

The legal limit for ethylbenzene, established in 1991, was based on a toxicity study in laboratory animals conducted in the 1950s.

ppb = parts per billion

All test results

Date Lab ID Result
2018-04-26ND
2019-06-20ND
2019-11-13ND
2021-09-134178883ND
2021-09-134178876ND
2021-09-134178874ND
2021-09-134178879ND
2021-09-144178973ND
2022-09-274361750ND
2022-10-254374622ND
2022-10-254374626ND
2022-10-264374712ND
2022-10-274374639ND
2022-11-284384852ND
2022-11-284384848ND
2022-12-294401375ND
2023-01-264481718ND